Read a sample of Brown Gold by clicking here. I could write an entire blog post about this image, but do I need to say more?

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Brown Listmania!

For those who don’t know, Listmania Lists are created by Amazon users. They contain everything from books to music, videos to whatever else is available on Amazon. While on a narcissistic search of my own name, I discovered several lists that feature picture books with characters that look like my family.

If you’re the parent of a black child — or any child of color — it’s so important that you expose him or her to books that reflect their image. Don’t misunderstand, there’s nothing wrong with books that feature white characters — anthropomorphic pigs, cars, warthogs or worms either. But a child of color needs to see positive images of themselves represented in the literature they read, too. We live in a world of many colors, cultures, religions, lifestyles. Books introduce children to the diverse world around them.

Here area a few Listmania Lists featuring picture books that celebrate diversity:

Note: This post by no means is an endorsement of Amazon over any other online stores or sources. If you know of any other lists that highlight diversity, or lists specifically that feature books by African American authors or artist, let us know.

About Us

The Brown Bookshelf is designed to push awareness of the myriad of African American voices writing for young readers. Our flagship initiative is 28 Days Later, a month-long showcase of the best in Picture Books, Middle Grade and Young Adult novels written and illustrated by African Americans.
You can read more about the founders of The Brown Bookshelf here.